The invention disclosed herein relates generally to movable masts and, more specifically, to a mast step assembly for securing a mast to a sail board.
Conventional sail-powered boats or vessels have masts that are fixed in a vertical position by various forms of what are known as standing and running rigging. They are designed to maintain the vertical position of the mast relative to the hull or deck.
Sail boards, commonly referred to as "windsurfers", have masts which are not supported by rigging but are, instead, supported by a person standing on the windsurfer itself. The boards are usually provided with mast steps, which allow removal of the mast for transporting the board. After the mast has been stepped, it is generally free to pivot freely in order to facilitate positioning a sail properly in relationship to the direction of the wind. In other words, sail trim, which, on a conventional sailboat, requires changing the position of the sail, is accomplished on a windsurfer by changing the position of the sail and, also, changing the angle and direction of the mast.
It is important for sail boards to have a mast step, which allows quick stepping and easy adjusting, particularly since sail boards are transported usually on car tops.